Never Giving Up
by Loversflame
Summary: How far would you go to prove to someone you love them? How much would you take?, how much would you give up? How far would he go just to keep her by his side forever? NejiXSakura
1. Never Giving Up

Alright everyone here it is..The new and inproved chapter one. Now just so you know updating will take me a bit longer becaue the old chapters that i had i forgot to send to my beta before i deleted them so i am going to rewrite them as best as i can but as a result there will be some seriouse changes in the plot and i also figure i will change a few things in the story and add some new chapters. my beta OGRO was correct my story didnt flow all that well so i am going to rewrite the chapters okay so please be patient with me and as you read the first chapter of my story please keep in mind that my beta did all the great editing so lets give him a round of appluase YEAY! k well PLEASE PLEASE READ AND REVIEW FOR ME MKAY

She always had one question on her mind

She always had one question on her mind... "What if?"

What if I never chased him around?

What if I was just stronger?

What if I was able to protect the ones I love?

It's been three years since he left. She couldn't go back in time and fix things but the 'what if' of it all made her want to change for the better; for the chance that if another person she cared about was in trouble she would be able to do something. She wouldn't have to sit on the side lines and just watch... no, she would help. She would be able to save that person.

During the three years she trained under Tsunade, their new Hokage. She had become the best medic-nin around. Well, almost. Tsunade was still _the_ best. Her jutsus had also become increasingly good over time and she became an amazing Kunoichi.

She left her hair cut short, and no longer wore her pink dress. She wore tight black shorts and a tight red halter top, with knee high crimson boots. She was the most desirable woman in Konoha, with the exception of Ino-pig. They had both grown into magnificent women, but Ino wasn't quite as scarred and beaten up as Sakura. Ino didn't go on as many missions—she had decided she wasn't quite cut out for it anymore. As such, the men found her more feminine. That didn't bother Sakura that much though, she didn't want men anymore.

She tried so hard to open her heart again after Sasuke left, but she always feared that if she did find another, then he would just leave her, too. There were times when she would find men that were suitable—she would give them a chance but in the end she just couldn't do it.

Her heart belonged to Sasuke…

Naruto and the others tried various times to get Sasuke back but no matter what, no matter how hard they tried, Sasuke would never come back. He only attacked them.

Three days ago, Tsunade sent Naruto, Neji, Lee, Kiba, and Shikamaru out for one final time to retrieve Sasuke. Sakura could hardly contain her excitement; she had hoped so much that this time they would come back with Sasuke. It had been three days and now they were back. However, they came back in a way Sakura was shocked to see.

Sakura was first to know of their return, she ran to meet them at the gates only to see them all being lifted onto stretchers and rushed to the hospital. Her eyes widened as she felt her blood turn cold. Sakura's feet started to move as she ran to Tsunade's office immediately.

"Tsunade-sama, what happened to them?" she yelled as she slammed her hands on the desk and stared straight into her eyes.

"Calm down Sakura," she said firmly, her eyes staring straight into hers, sending her a challenging gaze. It was almost as if it were another lesson.

"No! I will not calm down until you tell me what happened!" She was very determined to know what happened and why Sasuke was not with them.

"Sakura, I don't know. Right now I'm very busy reading over their charts." Sakura couldn't immediately tell, but the Hokage seemed mildly disappointed in her. The pink-haired girl was forgetting to keep a level head.

"Uh…oh…I'm sorry… can I help?"

"I'll tell you what. If you want to head on over to the hospital, I'll let you tend to Naruto and Neji."

"Thank you so much, but if I may ask…why those two?"

"Sakura, here are the medical charts. I believe you're our best medic—other than me you're the only one capable of dealing with them." She grabbed the charts and read over them quickly and began walking toward the door...then she stopped.

"Tsunade, what happened with Sasuke?"

"Look as much as I know that this will hurt you, I have to tell you." Sakura held her breath for what was to be some of the worst news since Sasuke's leaving. "Sakura, Orochimaru is dead. Sasuke killed him. But it seems that he is now after his brother, but what you need to understand is that by killing Orochimaru, Sasuke has become nearly as powerful as me in my prime."

"How is this bad news?"

"It's bad because he's still is against us and he is the reason Hyuuga and Uzumaki are in such bad shape, and because of how bad they are, I am afraid I can no longer send anymore of my Shinobi or ANBU after him."

Sakura took a moment to process this before the realization hit her.

_'He's not coming back he's gone and there nothing I could do, and I never did anything to help,' _she thought fruitlessly.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama. Thank you for telling me…" She turned around and ran towards the hospital and swore she would not cry.  
-

-MEDICAL CHARTS -  
NEJI HYUUGA

External and Internal Damage: Three puncture wounds to the left lung.  
Left arm: Cracked Ulna and shattered Radius  
Right arm: Severe cuts and bruising, 5 cracked ribs.  
Left leg: Fine  
Right leg: Severe 3rd degree burns down to the bone. Cracked jaw and severe bruising.  
Mental damage: Mangekyou Sharingan used between 4-7 times. Patient suffers from hallucinations.  
Chakra levels: Extremely low.  
Estimated recon time: between 5 to 25 days.

NARUTO UZUMAKI

External Damage and Internal Damage: 4 cracked ribs, both Tibias broken, left Femur broken in 2 places, 2nd degree burns on upper body, and severe bruising.  
Mental Damage: Beside the damage that already was there, there is no other damage.  
Chakra levels: Minimal.  
Estimated recon time: between 4-15 days.  
-

_At the hospital (Naruto's room)_

Sakura entered the room and saw Naruto on his bed. She grimaced at the condition he was in. Sakura soon walked up to the left side of the bed as she checked up on his injuries.

'_Poor Naruto. He looks terrible. I'd better get to work before he wakes up and feels the full extent of the pain he's in.'  
_  
_**'Maybe you should stop talking to yourself and get working then, huh?'**_

'_Hey, I never asked for your opinion… and where have you been?'  
_  
_**'Watching you make a fool of yourself.'  
**_  
_'Oh, and when have I been making a fool of my self?'  
_  
_**'Well you are right now, you're talking to yourself instead of healing Naruto…**_**'  
**  
_'Oh…shut up!'  
_  
_**'Make me. Oh, that's right, you can't.' **_The voice seemed to boast._**  
**_  
_'Oh inner self of mine, the things I would do to you if you were real.'  
_  
_**'Okay, well that's nice but you still aren't helping your boyfriend.'**_

_'Uh, my boyfriend?'  
_  
_**'Well yea, he's lying right in front of you suffering.'**_

_'He is not, now shut up so I can help him and then Neji!'_

'_**Fine, be that way,' **_it said, the tone of the voice clearly indicating that it chose to end the conversation.

'_Finally, some peace and quiet.'  
_  
She began healing Naruto's major injuries first, then the things that would be less painful. She would have healed him up more if it were not for the fact that she still had to take care of Neji.

Neji was in the worst condition, after all, and she only had so much chakra.

The clock read a quarter to eleven o'clock, as she had been there with Naruto for a little over four hours now. She really had to get to Neji. She was sure the other medics did a little work on him by now but not one of them would be skilled enough to take care of him. She quickly gave Naruto a peck on the cheek and ran off to Neji's room.

When she got there, the room was filled with medics, including Tsunade.

"Tsunade-sama, what's going on?" she cried.

"Sakura, we can't heal him," she said as calmly as possible.

"What? Why? How come you aren't doing anything?" she panicked.

"Sakura, don't you think I want to? We just can't, he's not letting us." She pointed to Neji, who was wide awake and very pissed off looking, and in very bad shape.

"How? How can he just not let you?"

"Because for whatever reason he keeps blocking off our chakra points and preventing us from healing him!" said Tsunade as she sent a glare towards Neji, who glared back full force.

"He shouldn't even be awake, and where is he getting chakra from to be able to do that?"

"Don't you think if I knew I would stop it or figure something out!?" Tsunade was beginning to get very annoyed with Sakura's constant questions and about to kick her out of the room when...

"Let me." Silence filled the room.

"What?!" said Tsunade, her mouth hanging open wide.

"You heard me—let me do it. Let me take care of him, alone."

Tsunade thought for a moment on this but decided to give Sakura a chance. They all stared at Tsunade for a moment as if to say, _'Well, are we leaving it to her?'_

She nodded and they all left but not before she gave Sakura a, _'You had better be able to do this,'_ look.

Sakura walked over to Neji and sighed.

"You know, I don't know you all that well, but in the little time that I have know you for, you never struck me as the type to want to die."

He mumbled something unintelligible in response.

"You are so much like him. You know, that's too bad."

"Like who?" he questioned, looking up at her with his pale eyes, showing a fraction of interest.

"Don't play dumb." She smirked as she pulled up a chair to the bed, figuring she'd be there for a while.

"Are you calling me dumb?" he asked her.

She looked at him and smiled. "No."

He shot her another glare. "Then tell me, who?"

"Sasuke," she said quietly as she shifted her gaze to the window.

"Why would you think that I'm anything like him?" She looked back at him and sighed.

"Neji, you need to let me heal you, especially now that you're trying to talk. This conversation could kill you."

"I said, why." She grabbed his hand tightly and stared straight at him.

"Please Neji, let me heal you." Neji's head quickly snapped at Sakura. If glares could kill, Sakura would have been dead that moment.

"Then tell me." He said firmly. "Then you can heal me..." Sakura's eyes flickered to the ground as she gave a deep sigh and looked up for a moment, then to her hand and started fidgeting with then. His breathing was ragged... He wasn't even supposed to be able to breathe at this point!

"Sasuke gave up, he wanted so much to be strong and be able to kill his brother and he got better and better, then his jealousy of Naruto overcame him, and he gave up and went to Orochimaru to gain power. So you're doing the same thing now, you are giving up. I'm not sure why, but I know that you're giving up living for some reason, and that's how you're like him. So let me heal you now, okay?" She rushed through her words, intent on having her patient survive.

He then relaxed and set his arms to his sides and stared off into the distance as to think about what she had said. She slowly put her hands above him and began healing, hours went by and her chakra was running at an all time low. She wouldn't stop though because he was still not healed enough to make it through the night so she promised herself that she would not give up. That was a promise she had made to herself after they lost Sasuke. He gave up and she was hurt and she didn't want anyone to suffer because she gave up like he did.

Neji glanced over at her for the first time in the many hours. He knew how low she was on chakra. He could see it, but why didn't she just stop and ask for another medic to help? Was she that dumb, or was there another reason? He couldn't imagine her being that dumb, because honestly, who would want to use up all their chakra just to heal somebody, especially him?

"Haruno-san, you're about out of chakra, you won't last much longer. So why don't you get another medic's help.?" She smiled at his sudden interest in her well-being.

"Neji, its two thirty in the morning; Tsunade is definitely asleep and there is no other medic qualified to handle you."

He grunted in response.

'_Well I guess I'm in good hands, but still, she should get help, I don't think she can last much longer…' _he thought, his brow furrowing slightly._  
_  
His thoughts were interrupted by Sakura and a comment he would never expect out of her as far as he was concerned. She was a pathetic weakling—well, that's what he used to think, anyway.

"Oh, and I don't give up—you're my patient, and I know I have more chakra in me. So if I don't keep going until I'm really all out of chakra, I would call that giving up and I don't give up."

He stared at her for a moment and then smiled. "You are really something else, you know that, Haruno-san?"

"Thank you, Hyuuga-san" She responded just as politely. She smiled and began healing him again.

"Sakura, you say you will never give up, why is that?" A saddened expression appeared on her face as she looked away from him and her tone of voice seemed to lighten.

"Because when you give up, the ones you care about most get hurt, and I never want to be the reason why somebody gets hurt, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional. I could never live with myself and I don't see how anyone else could."

Her words shocked him. She really cared so much about others that she would never give up on anything just to prove it. She really did amaze him, reminding the Hyuuga of a certain blonde-haired ninja. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a little shining orb and handed it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, her emerald eyes locking onto the orb.

"It's where I got the chakra to use my Byakugan. I stole it from Uchiha in battle. He was using it to give himself an even greater advantage. So when I saw the opportunity to steal it, I took it. So I want you to have it, I would hate to be the reason why you had to give up."

A small tear rolled down her face as she smiled and took the small orb from him.

"Thank you Neji-san, you are a wonderful person…so how do I make this work?"

"Don't mention it. Hold it tight in your hand and it works," he said as he slowly closed his eyes. He was obviously really tired and the pain was probably getting to him.

"Thank you," she said quietly as she once again resumed healing.

She soon felt chakra running through her system and she continued healing him. Then the thought came to her…

'_What happens when this thing runs out, and how do I know when it does?'_

It had been another hour or so and Neji had fallen asleep, so she didn't dare ask him now. But she soon received her answers anyway. The little orb just popped and she started feeling really depleted. Her vision stared to blur and she knew she was out of chakra. She sent one last glance at Neji and she realized it was okay because other than a few scrapes and bruises he was going to be fine and she knew she had not given up. Then as if somebody turned out all the lights, everything went black and she fell to the floor.

"Neji..." she murmured quietly.

* * *

Oooo..the excitement! please review and i will have the next chapter up asap


	2. Indomitable Spirit

alright here it is my new chapter 2 and for those who have already read this story trust me this is WAY WAY different i have basically change the story line okay so please read and review and let me and my beta know what you think mkay love you all

love loversflame

* * *

Darkness…

Darkness….it was all she saw. No light, no anything. She was in a place of nothingness. She moved what seemed to be her hand in front of herself in hopes that she could at least see her pale skin. Nothing…she saw nothing. Where was she? What had happened to her, the last thing she remembered was healing Ne…NEJI!

'_Neji…'_ she said to her unconscious self.

"What did she say?" questioned the nurse to Tsunade.

"I think she said Neji," she answered, eyebrow raised.

"The Hyuuga boy we have in the ICU?" she asked.

"That's the one."

Sakura sat in her world of darkness with nothing but thoughts of Neji Hyuuga. She didn't quite understand why she did when there were so many more important things in the world…especially more important than him, and yet she couldn't remove him from her thoughts, and again she mumbled his name to herself.

'_Neji,' _she said again not knowing that while she thought she was in her own little world she was really just unconscious and Tsunade was watching and listening to her, as well as the nurse.

"Sakura, wake up." Tsunade said, her strict tone and hardness seeping through her words.

'_Sakura…' _She heard it again. It was another voice, but this time she actually understood what it was saying. _'Sakura…'_ It said her name again and it seemed to be getting louder. Soon she felt her cold emptiness warm up and begin filling with a blinding white light and a very concerned and also angry Tsunade standing above her.

"Sakura, are you okay? Can you hear me?" she said to her as her eyes began to flutter open.

"Nmmm..." she moaned as the stinging light filled her now opening eyes.

"Sakura?"

"Tsunade, Is that you? Where am I…? What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," she said

"What? How should I know? All I know is I was healing Neji and…" she paused and realized she had almost forgotten about him. "NEJI!" she shouted as she shot up form the hospital bed only to be pushed back down by the Hokage.

"He is fine, Sakura. You did a wonderful job of healing him last night. Now onto the matter of you! Do you know where my other medics found you this morning?"

"Er... no," Sakura responded shyly

"Lying in a pool of your own blood at the side of Hyuuga's bed, and by the look of it you had passed out and hit you head hard on the ground and split your skull open. At first we thought we lost you because of all the blood loss, but you were still hanging on and we managed to restore you quickly, but I am sure if we took any longer to find you, then I am sure you would have died."

She didn't know what to say. She could have easily just said thanks but she knew that simply just saying that wouldn't do it for Tsunade. She just sat there, staring down in thought, knowing that in the mind of Tsunade, silence like hers was worth a mouthful of words.

Tsunade, fully understanding Sakura's silence, allowed herself to begin exiting the room. "Your wound is fully healed. When you feel ready I expect you to resume your medical duties as before. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good," she said to her as she exited the room.

Sakura slowly moved out of the bed knowing better than to rush her self at the risk of getting lightheaded and collapsing.

After taking a quick shower in the employee area and changing into a set of spare clean clothes she kept in her locker, she resumed her medical duties…beginning with Hyuuga Neji.

'Room 201' read the sign posted on the door that enclosed Neji Hyuuga. She felt her blood pressure rise and her heart skip a beat as she reached for the handle. She didn't understand why she was getting these feelings. She just about never spoke to Neji, the only time they ever did was when they were on missions together or when he needed medical attention and even then it was never on a personal level. The night before was a first for them when it came to having a conversation like that.

As she turned the knob she peeked into the room to see what state he was in. To her relief he was sleeping. She smiled and closed the door behind her as she walked over to him. He looked so peaceful and beautiful. Shocked that she was even thinking of him like that, she smacked herself on the hand several times while stating to herself, "Bad Sakura, bad Sakura!"

While unknowingly to her a certain Hyuuga had awoken to see her making a foolish scene of stupidity. "Problem, Haruno?" he asked with a smirk.

A look of shock swept across her face as she redirected her attention back to the now fully conscious Hyuuga. "No, I was just…uh killing a fly that landed on my hand," she said, hoping she was lucky and that he would buy her quick cover story. Sadly she was not all that lucky.

"Even if I did buy that, it still would not explain why you were continually smacking yourself when it would only take one hit to kill the fly and you were continually saying to yourself 'Bad Sakura,'" He had her and he knew it.

Once again she thought quickly and came up with the perfect response. "Argh! Alright, you caught me…it shames me to say it but I suppose you have done it. I am an emo. I was about to cut myself and I caught myself before I did, so I had to punish myself for even attempting to do such a terrible thing."

He chuckled a bit at her very sarcastic remark and a smirk spread across his face. "Shame, Haruno. A medic of your skill should know better than to cause self harm."

"Yeah, well…" she began but then the light from the sunrise shone through his window and onto him and reflected off a shimmering pendant that she recognized as hers. "Where did you get that?!" she said to him as she pointed to the pendant that he had tightly grasped in his hand.

"Oh, right, I forgot to give this back to you," he said as if she had given it to him to borrow or something and was supposed to be aware that he had it.

"Excuse me! But where did you get it from?" she said sternly.

He let a smirk caress his face as he began to explain what had happened. "Last night after you passed out, you fell to the ground from chakra depletion. I guess your pendant got snagged on a hook on the side of my bed and ripped of you neck. When I woke in the morning and saw a nurse cleaning your blood off the ground, I noticed that it was stuck on the hook so I unhooked it and held onto it until you came in to visit me. I had all intentions of giving back to you," he said to her as he opened his hand to reveal her pendant to her.

"Oh." She couldn't seem to find the words to say to him. She simply thanked him. "Arigato, Hyuuga-san," she stated formally as she bowed to him and then reached for her pendant. He willingly relinquished it unto her and watched as she struggled to hook it back around her neck.

"Need help, Haruno?" he asked as he sat up.

She didn't want to let him to have to help her hook on her own necklace, but she was having troubles. She never actually put it on her self to begin with. It was her mother's and as her mother died she put it on Sakura and she had never taken it off since. "Yeah, I guess," she said, slightly uneasy, as she turned her back to Neji so he might have an easier time placing the pendant around her neck.

"Haruno," he began.

"Call me Sakura," she said to him before he could finish what he was saying.

"Erm…okay, Sakura…What I was going to say was that your necklace is broken." Terror overcame her as she quickly whipped around to face Neji and took her mother's pendant in her hands as she looked down upon it sorrowfully as a tear fell from her eyes and fell onto the pendant.

"Sakura, it's not really a big deal. You have no need to make such a fuss over that silly thing, after all…" He trailed off as he was once again interrupted by her, but this time it was her shouting.

"It is not a _silly_ thing! It was my mother's...It was my mother's!" she screamed at him as she fell to her knees and sobbed, not even really looking at the pendant long enough to realize what Neji had been trying to tell her. He was going to say that it was not really broken all that bad. It was just the clasp in the back that was broken.

Shocked at her sudden burst of rage and tears he climbed out of the bed and sat beside her on the floor. "My apologies, Haruno-san, it is truly not a silly thing." He then placed a single hand on her shoulder as a way of comforting her.

"Would like to explain to me the significance of you mother's pendant?" he said gently.

She lifted her head up enough to see his eyes and saw sincerity in them and knew she could trust him and talk to him.

"My mother was killed. There was an attack not so long ago here in Konoha and she was simply returning from the market and she was caught in the cross fire of two Chakra-infused attacks. I had been coming home from a mission with Naruto to find Sasuke and witnessed it happen right before my eyes. After the shock of watching it happen subsided a little, I ran to her side and with her last dying words she told me to wear it always and she would be with me. She had me turn away so she could hook it onto me. Once felt her warm touch leave me I turned around again and she was gone…she died. But I remember that as a kid she would always tell me that the pendant held special properties and that it was a symbol of indomitable spirit. A Spirit that cannot be defeated, a Spirit that never gives up no matter what." Her voice sounded almost like a child seeking comfort, but she tried to shrug it off.

Neji could hear the pain still in her voice. He really and truly sympathized for her. He saw her just about everyday and she was always wearing a smile and her eyes shone brightly. No one would ever know she held in such pain. "I'm so sorry for your loss Sakura, I truly am," he said kindly. "What about your father? Where was he during all this?"

Another tear rolled down her face as she remembered her father. "My father left us on the day of my 8th birthday. He was cheating on my mother. He brought the slut to my birthday and introduced her as a friend from work. My mother caught them making out in the basement and blew the cover on his two-timing ass. I saw it all happen—my father beat my mother senseless and packed his things. I screamed at him to come back and to say sorry to mommy, but he just told me that he was not my daddy anymore and that mommy was evil so he was leaving her forever, and me to, and that was the last time I ever saw him. Three years ago I found out that he had moved to Sand and was executed for the rape of ten different women." This time, her voice grew from pain to anger.

She truly lived a very sad life. He knew he had a bad childhood, but Sakura had it even worse and yet everyday she was a bright and as joyful as the next. "I—I'm sorry, Sakura."

"It's okay. I've almost forgotten about him," she said as she wiped her tears, giving him a small smile. There she was again; shrugging off the pain like it meant nothing.

"But at least the pendant is not completely unusable," he said, bringing up the subject of the broken clasp again.

"Oh, you're right; it's not all that bad. But still... the clasp that is on it now is that clasp that was my mother's, so it still kind of hurts knowing that its broken." She sniffled.

He gave her a quick smile and gestured for her to hand the pendant to him. A slightly confused look was in her eye, but she dropped it into his waiting palm. He held the tiny clasp tightly between his fingers, channeling a small amount of chakra and melting the broken ends together. Now it was permanently fixed, holding the two ends together. She would never be able to take it off, but she could never bring herself to do it, anyway. "There, good as new," he said, handing it back to her. Her emerald eyes shone with happiness. She struggled to fit it over her head, but thankfully, her wide forehead didn't stop it from going around her neck.

"Thank you, Neji-san," she said as she turned back to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

He was shocked at her boldness of doing that. Most girls never even dared think to do such a thing to him at the risk of being smacked. However, under the circumstances he figured he could just let it go. That and he kind of liked this girl. There was something _different_ about her.

"Hey, Neji..." she said to him as she fingered the pendant that once again graced her neck.

He mumbled in response, his only acknowledgement of having heard her.

"Why did you try and let yourself die last night?" she asked.

It was a fair question. After all she did answer his. So he felt somewhat obligated to answer her question in the same respectful manner as she answered him.

"On the mission I was unable to do my duty as team leader. It was my job to make sure everyone made it out alive on my squad. I failed and I figured that I deserved the same fate."

"Who...?" He answered her before she could ever finish asking who it was who died.

"A little girl." He said sadly as he looked out to the window. "Although we were sent to retrieve Sasuke, she ended up as part of our job. We found him near a small village in the forest. As we fought him at a point had the upper hand and were on the verge of beating him, I was aiming a very powerful strike at his heart when he spotted the girl. He grabbed her before I even noticed her and he trusted her into the line of my strike and even though I pulled back. Sasuke had made sure that she was close enough to me that no matter what I did she would be hit. My strike didn't kill her but Sasuke out of spite of some sort decided to use his sword and slice her head clean off. Her mother's screams were enough to rip your heart out as it were. At that point our battle took its turn for the worse and we lost. I had just figured that it was my fault and I deserved death."

Tears were brought to her eyes as she listened to his tragic story. "So…so what made you change your mind and let me heal you?" she asked as she wiped away her tears again.

"You," he stated bluntly. "You were so determined to save me. I was determined to save that little girl but failed and it ripped my heart out, so I spared you the pain of watching someone die in you hands. I knew you would run out of chakra though and at first I was thinking about letting you so that I would die but when you told me your tale of never giving up it made me think that maybe you were right and that if I ever want to save those who are dear to me then I can't give up now, so I gave you the chakra boost."

A smile came on her face as she heard his words. "So I guess I am like your hero now huh?" she said jokingly.

"Whatever."

* * *

awwww poor sakura. well what did you think hu hu hu hu hu tell me tell me! please just take a few seconds out of your day and review okay thank you thank you.

love lovesflame


	3. AMALike the air I breath

IM BACK!!!!! sorry i took hmmm about a year to update sorry its not easy being me sometime ha wow that was concited. Well i ohpe you enjoy this chapter and since iv been gone so long i mande this one juicy for Sakura neji fans

ENJOY

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Three days later (Neji's Hospital Room)

"Ha ha, your funny" Sakura laughed sarcastically

"I don't see the humor in it Haruno San"

"Oh come on you can't actually expect me to allow you to start training again " The look on his face made it clear that he did expect her to. "Neji!" She shouted. "I just declared you medically able to leave the hospital, You can't train its unsafe you could stress your body out and pass out."

"I appreciate the fact that you saved my life so don't take me wrong when I say 'I will do whatever I want' " He said sternly

"Ok" a joyous smile spread across her face "Then you won't 'take it wrong' when I say I'm not going to discharge you from the hospital for another week." The feeling of victory was evident as the look in her face emanated pride in her victory.

"You know holding a person against their will is wrong."

"Not when the doctor wills you to stay, Your my patient and what I say goes." Sure Sakura was tough and many people respected and feared her, she had a lot of power, and she did love how powerful she felt but the fact that she was able to tell Hyuuga Neji what he could and couldn't do was far more satisfying.

"Sakura" She turned to him. He had a very sly look on his face. "Yes?" she answered hesitantly. "Do you will me to stay for my own supposed safety, or is it that you just have a thing for and can't bear the thought of my leaving." Now he had turned the tables and just to insure his victory. " Mind you Sakura all the other doctors including Tsunade have deemed me more than ready to be discharged."

"Uh uh well" She couldn't even formulate an answer to that. This fact made him very proud. He allowed a smirk to caress his face as Sakura began to walk towards the door. " I have other patients to see" She said mater of factly , as she turned away from him reached for the door.

Then it happened

He wasn't sure what possessed him to say it but whatever it was it clearly wanted to stir up trouble. " You know the view from here is great." She froze dead in her tracks. He couldn't mean the window view because the window was covered with blinds and far enough away that even if the blinds were open he still wouldn't be able to see out the window.

"What did you say Hyuuga San?" She asked hesitantly.

"Nothing" He wasn't sure whether he regretted saying that or not. For the first time in his entire life he actually enjoyed the presences of an annoying female.

"No" She whipped her head around to glare at him. "I heard you, Now tell me why you said that!"

"Sakura, I think you hit your head pretty hard the other day" he said in the most concerned but fake voice. "You're probably hearing things now, So what is it that you claim I said"

Crap! She had two choices and neither were any good. She either agreed she was mental and hearing things or she had to repeat what she heard him say, which also sucked because what if she heard him wrong and then said that. oh it would be disastrous. Then an idea came to her...

She walked over to his bed side and she just stared at him, but not in an annoying sense she stared at him with loving eyes and a great big smile and she continued this for a minute or two until Neji finally spoke up. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"What" She said trying to pretend to be shocked "Oh sorry I guess I was complete enchanted by you" She had him now.

She was up to something he knew it. He could just end this now by not caring or he could play along. However by playing along he would be 'Flirting' with her. He was Hyuuga Neji He didn't flirt. But once again the unseen force overtook him.

He sat up on his knees and leaned over to her gently took her hand in his and with ease pulled her on to his bed with her. He looked directly into her eyes "I'm sorry I didn't hear you, could you please repeat that."

"Uh Uh" her heart was pounding. Surely he knew that. Why was he doing this. Did he like her? Wait did her like him. She then did all she could do. "I said nothing" she quietly replied. "Oh come on now , I know you said something." He slyly replied, as he started playing with her hair.

What was he doing. What had overcome him, this was so out of character for him. He should be pushing her away like every other stupid girl. By this point Sakura also very out of character looked to him. "Neji? do you like me?"

'Snap'

Neji came back to his 'senses'. "What are you kidding." he snipped at her as he pushed her to the ground. "You're a foolish girl Sakura, I was merely exhibiting side effects to the medication I have been on, but it has worn off, you should know better than to take advantage of a drugged up patient like that."

She wasn't sure whether she should cry or come up with a witty come back.

Tears? No she hadn't cried in years, she wouldn't now especially when Hyuuga was _nothing_ to her. However another witty come back and she would seem like she actually cared so instead she did her job. "Hyuuga-San I have reviewed your chart and I will sign the discharge papers."

What had he done? He regretted it. He finally met the one women he actually liked and he hurt her more than he had ever hurt anyone else. For years Hinata had been shyly telling him not to be rude to every girl because one day he would fall for one. She was right. He finally found the one girl he liked the one girl who had the potential of being his future bride and he lashed out at her. Sure he always had Tenten, but he didn't like her like that.

"Thank you, Haruno-San" he felt dumb saying that. He just yelled at her and she was continually being kind to him. She really was a good person. "Ay your welcome Hyuuga-san, just remember no training for at least another week"

She then walked out of the room went to the front desk and got his discharge papers filed. Her eyes felt like they were burning. She wouldn't cry, she couldn't. She glanced up at the clock he shift was over in 20 minutes. Tsunade told her once that if she really needed and her remaining shift was short, she could leave early. So that's what she did .

The rain outside was pouring. The wind was howling and there wasn't a single person outside. The only light came from a nearby ramen shack. She went in hoping to find her good friend Naruto. Disappointment must be the theme of the day she thought as she walked into to find it empty with the exception of the owner.

"Oh Hello Doctor Haruno! Naruto's not here today, we recently started delivery service and he's taken full advantage of it, he's our best customer." Said the owner.

"Yes" she smiled. "Yes I'm sure he is. Actually I'm pretty hungry myself" She said sweetly.

"Oh, yes of course miss Haruno, for you it's on the house."

"Arigato"

She sat quietly and ate her ramen, as recalled the events of her day. Still her heart felt strange, She hadn't felt like this since...since Sasuke. Sasuke broke her heart many times over and over and strangely this felt worse. It made no sense she hardly even knew Neji, and yet she felt as though she loved him. Maybe this is what they mean when they say love at first sight.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden appearance of an Anbu. "Haruno San"

"Ay" she looked to him. "The Hokage requests your presents at an emergency meeting."

"Thank you, You're dismissed."

She finished her ramen and with lightening speed ran to Hokage tower.

'Bang bang'

Sakura Knocked on the door to the Hokage's office, on any other circumstances she would have just walked in but she had this sickly feeling that something was wrong, something was different.

"Enter please" She heard the Hokage's voice boom through the door.

Upon entering the first thing she noticed was not the 8 other ninja gathered in the room but it was the look on her sensei's face. She hadn't seen that look since Sasuke betrayed them to join with Orochimaru. The room was filled with tension and also much confusion. She was quickly able to deduce that nobody else knew why they were there but they knew something was seriously wrong.

Slowly Tsunade stood to look toward the Ninja encircling the room. she sighed then began telling them that in which they'd soon wish was just a really bad nightmare from which they would soon awake from.

"As you all well know no so long ago our last and final attempt at bring Sasuke Uchiha back failed. Several of our finest were severely injured. We had assumed that after this attempt he would flee from us. We were horribly mistaken. Now what many of you may not know is that here in Konaha at our humble burial ground we stored a very dangerous scroll. Only the leaders of our most noble families knew of this and they were sworn to secrecy. This scroll however is useless to most because of its unique nature. This scroll is designed to do a few things. The most pressing of its effects are that one it summons a meteor large enough to obliterate all of mankind and two it gives the wielder the power to protect themselves and anyone they choose from the destruction. Ultimately who ever wields the power of this scroll wields the power to rule us or destroy us. "

The room remained silent as they could all tell that this fascinating story was leading to a very bad ending, an ending in which they would wish was a mere lie.

She closed her eyes and began to tell the terrible news. "Unfortunately one of our team members on the mission for Sasuke knew of this scroll. With Sasuke's new powers he was able to tap into the mind of this individual and learn of the scroll. We have no exact time but the time frame was deduced to be between 2 am and 4 am yesterday, during this time Sasuke claimed the scroll."

"Sensei! Why was the scroll not just destroyed?" Sakura shouted with fury lacing every word spilled from her mouth.

"If it was possible we would have done it many years ago. however as I mentioned earlier the scroll is useless except by a select few . This I am sure he has figured out by now, or greatest advantage is that he has no way of knowing who is capable of activating the scroll."

"Tsunade Sama Why was the scroll even created" Everyone turned to lee as they were all wondering the same they just didn't dare ask.

"It was initially created as a good thing. Hundreds of years ago when it was created the greatest of ninja had a dream to created a better world. They wanted to clear the world of all evil. Many years passed and they found the way they learned how to create' The scroll of power' It took the sacrifices of ten of the most powerful ninja. They had hoped that using it they could protect all good and destroy all evil. However with any Great good must also come a great evil. They leader of the project knew this, she knew that the greatest of the dark ninja would come and try to take the scroll for their own purposes. So she enchanted the scroll with a few precautions. One only a pure sole with the power to heal could activate it, and two like in the story of Pandora's box at the end of the destruction an terror there was a hope left in the box. The creator Sakumira Thaisharuno never explained what that meant only that no matter what there was hope in the end, it was as though she knew something bad would come of her creation. We could only assume that the scroll cannot be destroyed because it was created by the sacrifice of the living. The scroll was lost, traded, stolen, and bought by many for many years and nobody could wield it. After time a counsel was created to decide the fate of the scroll as it had come upon us. We decided that is was ultimately no harm for the time being but to be safe I was entrusted with its care. I Knew of Konoha as a very calm city and I figured with the Hokage being here and also a strong Anbu Squad it would be safe so I took it to the crypts of the Hokage's past and it was sealed there . Only a Ninja of great power was supposed to be able to free it from is Chakra infused bindings . Clearly Sasuke was able to do so."

"So If this scroll is so useless to Sasuke then why does this concern us." Naruto...of course

"Because he will eventually find the one he needs and when he does it WILL be the end of us all!" Tsunade looked as though she would kill Naruto for Such an arrogant question. "Do you all understand what I am asking of you?"

They all nodded

"I will not send any of you out for this mission for a few weeks though, we need time to prepare all the supplies you will need, this could after all be a long mission. Also a few of you have just finished healing from the last injuries you have sustained from Sasuke last time we want you fully healed before the next mission."

No one said a word, there were no words to be said. They all knew That this was the most important mission they would ever receive.

It was late that night when Neji finally had cracked. He understood this importance of this mission and although Sakura had forbidden him from training he refused to be cold from lack of training when the mission began.

He trained for what seemed like hours, and every time he felt a twang of pain from his prior injuries he was reminded of Sakura. She put her own health on the line for him and here he was blatantly disregarding her advice.

'Damn it' the though aloud to himself. He could no longer focus on training. The image of her smiling and laughing filled his mind, and then the image of her heart broken face when he wrongly lashed out at her for nothing. If it were not for his insane hearing he would not have heard her over his own raging thoughts.

"Training is against medical advice(AMA) you know ." He looked up to see her she looked completely destroyed. The glow that usually graced her eyes was replaced by a glassy look probably due to the tears she had probably been recently shedding. Her arms were covered in several slight cuts and bruises as were her legs. Either she had been attacked 'not likely' or she had been so upset and training so hard it was causing her great harm.

The storm clouds looming not so high above them finally broke and the blood from Sakura's arms and legs and who know where else began to wash off her body like a flood of blood.

He could tell she didn't mean to come across him she was probably just wandering the woods to find solace and peace, a place to cry alone where no one would see maybe.

"Sakura" he began. He had to Apologize to her even if it made no difference. She and enchanted him body and soul and he needed her like the air he breathed. So even if she would not have him he would at least make things right with her.

"I..I Have to go." she quickly stuttered as she began to turn and walk away.

"Wait." He shouted after her as he reached his hand out to her. "Please wait."

She turned and saw him not any less than two steps behind her. "Yes" she replied as she dropped her head.

She didn't want him to see her so defeated but it was just the worst day ever, and for whatever reason she felt as though she could share everything with him like she didn't need to hide. It was then that she first cried in front of him. It was then that she had let another person see her pain for the first time in so long, and it was then that she knew she needed him like the air she breathed.

He felt his heart shatter when she looked to the ground and began to shed tears. Without any hesitation he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "It's okay Sakura, everything will be okay I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere" he whispered gently.

She lifted her head and stared into his beautiful steel glowing eyes, as she felt his arm move and his hand gently be placed behind her head.

With touch of their lips the warmth of their kiss melted away all their pain, misery, and all the things that would normally cause great stress. For them right now here in this moment they were the only people in existence.

* * *

Ooooooo what will happen next ha sorry for leaving you hanging but there would be no excitment if i just kept going and what would be your insentive to review. ha ha k so this chapter is unbeta'ed because im trying to beta for myself so ya. pretty please review


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